Inside the O'Briens in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

May 03, 2016 Gayle rated it really liked it

I always fear reading another book from an author after I enjoyed a previous one, but this one didn't disappoint. Like Still Alice, this book really brought an illness/disease/condition to life. (And I managed to enjoy most of the characters...always a win!) ...more

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Nov 28, 2015 Jane rated it really liked it

This is the kind of book I was hoping for when I read Gail Tsukayama's book, Dreaming Water. It's about a horrific disease, Huntingdon's, and the effect of this disease on a particular family. Gritty and real in a way that Dreaming Water just wasn't. Genova wrote Still Alice which was made into the movie that garnered an Academy Award for Julianne Moore. Her writing about this particular middle class Boston Irish family is excellent.

Fascinating that Genova has studied neuroscience. She is writi ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 Kristin rated it really liked it

As with previous books I've read, 'Left Neglected' and 'Still Alice', 'Inside the O'Briens' is a fictional look at how a devastating neurological diagnosis affects the main character, in this case Boston cop Joe O'Brien. In this case, the elephant in the room is Huntingdon's Disease, a genetic condition passed down from one generation to the next that leaves Joe prone to outbursts of anger and involuntary movements. What scares Joe most of all is that he watched his mother die of the disease, th As with previous books I've read, 'Left Neglected' and 'Still Alice', 'Inside the O'Briens' is a fictional look at how a devastating neurological diagnosis affects the main character, in this case Boston cop Joe O'Brien. In this case, the elephant in the room is Huntingdon's Disease, a genetic condition passed down from one generation to the next that leaves Joe prone to outbursts of anger and involuntary movements. What scares Joe most of all is that he watched his mother die of the disease, though at the time, everyone attributed it to alcoholism, so he knows what the future holds for him and maybe also his 4 grown children, each on their own life path, but with a 50% chance of having that course drastically altered.
Being in their 20's, the children likely have another 15 or 20 years before they start showing symptoms, so it's up to them to decide whether to have the genetic testing that will give them a solid 'yes' or 'no' answer. Older son Joe Jr., J.J. for short, is a Boston firefighter and newlywed hoping to start a family of his own, but should he test positive, would his Catholic upbringing allow him to genetically screen embryos for Huntingdon's and what to do with any that would test positive? Younger son Patrick is a free spirit, already living a life of partying hard and staying out late, so is a disease that probably won't affect him for another couple decades going to kill him before his own choices do? Older daughter Meghan is a ballerina whose star is on the rise, and Joe can't bear the thought of his spastic Huntingdon's movements manifesting themselves in his little girl, ending her career in its prime. Katie, the baby of the family, is sick of living in Meghan's shadow and looking to strike out on her own and leave the apartment building she shares with her parents and siblings, but with HD looming over her head, is moving far away a wise choice? If she's positive, she'll have no family support and could end up misjudged like her grandma, but if she's negative, shouldn't she remain home to care for her father, and potentially any of her older siblings should they test positive, rather than leave that burden to her mother?
Genova tells the story of the family really well, both playing out the story of Joe, who readers know has the disease, as he slowly adjusts to the changes it is inflicting on his life, as well as his kids, where the mystery remains of who has it and who doesn't, and the choices they make in terms of taking the testing or opting to go on with their lives not knowing. The focus is mainly on Katie, who seems to have the most uncertainty about what to do, but in telling her story, those of her siblings weave in and out nicely. I truly don't know what I'd do, because I think it would gnaw at me not knowing, but if I was to find out I was positive, would I deprive myself of a normal life just waiting for the HD symptoms to set in?
I've enjoyed Genova's other books, and this one lived up to that standard. Definitely will keep my eyes open for any more of her works at my local library or book sales. ...more

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Mar 31, 2015 Sara rated it liked it

Shelves: 2015-reads

As with her other books, Genova sheds light on a medical condition and how it affects those involved. I feel she captured Huntington's well and I definitely learned a lot about the disease. However, I never felt like the surface was more than scratched in terms of how the characters dealt with the disease. Joe, the main character who has the disease, never seems to really have feeling about it - symptoms yes, emotions not so much. The same can be said for his wife and 4 children. Katie is the on ...more

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Jul 25, 2015 Katrina rated it really liked it

This is another great book by Lisa Genova. Still Alice is still my favorite, but this was an interesting look into a disease with which I am not familiar. If I had a complaint, it is that the characters spent a lot of time in their own heads which, I am sure, is the reality of trying to decide whether or not to find out if you carry the disease causing gene.

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